Warehouse Pete Pulls Through (x100e order)

I ordered a x100e from Amazon for $555 about a week ago but then I happened to see a link for the Lenovo Outlet and I thought I'd check it out. I found the x100e refurbished for only $377! And it had the L625 instead of the L325, and Bluetooth!

I pulled the trigger, happy with having saved $150 for a better computer. Well, that's the last time I thought ordering from the Outlet was a good idea.

First, the Outlet made it seem like the items are in stock so how long can they take to ship? A looooong time apparently. My first estimated ship date was seven days from the day I placed the order. Figuring in the actual ship time, we are talking two weeks. What, is it being shipped on a burro? Do they only have one old guy working in their warehouse? (His name would be Pete, and he has not quite a full beard but gray scruff. And he would talk to people about how in his day, people didn't have computers. Or need computers. Or want things shipped in a reasonable time frame.)

Then, today is the ship day! Um, no. Your estimated ship date just got moved to the 31st. Well, it just so happens I have the x100e I ordered from Amazon sitting in my house, waiting to be shipped back. I start thinking, man, I'd like to open this box. I call Lenovo. After about ten minutes, my call is answered by someone I have trouble understanding. He tells me what I already know. The ship date was moved. Okay, why? Don't know. Is this going to ship on the 31st? Could be sooner, could be later. Errr... okay.. What do I need to do to cancel? You can't.

OK, WHAT? You can't ship my laptop, but you won't cancel it either? Blech. This is my first experience with Lenovo and it will be my last. The x100e is going back to Amazon and I will return the other one when (if) I receive it. Sure looked like a nice laptop, but if this is how you get treated BEFORE you get the computer, I sure wouldn't want to call with a technical problem.

Oh, and here's the kicker. They have the same specced machine listed on the Outlet RIGHT NOW as available. (Same everything, OS, memory amount, bluetooth, camera, etc.)

Lenovo Outlet - delayed X100e order

I guess the jigs up... you've figured out our trade secrets. 'Warehouse Pete' and our use of "Fed-Burro" freight on all warehouse orders.

Glad to see you've kept your sense of humor about you - many understandably would not. I'd really like to help.

Can you PM me your order number? Let's see what we can do....

The outlet does sell things that are actually sitting in the warehouse and I would really expect them to ship within a day of your credit authorization, but they don't always seem to. They also sell systems that we have as overstocked models, and sometimes these are actually in a different location, even a factory far away.

$377 does sound like a sweet deal and I'd like to see you with the system. I know the one you have in hand is tempting as well...

As to "What's dos"... we tried to have a bit of fun with some new rank names we rolled out. I hear you on the old sound blaster cards with IRQ jumpers, systems with ISA slots, DIPP memory chips and 5.25" floppy drives - even the new fangled high density 1.2MB ones...

It's hard to believe that systems had 640K and 20 MB. A 1GB HDD was huge. Now, that's an obsolete USB key...

Re: Lenovo Outlet - delayed X100e order

Well, the week delay in shipping and the (non-intentionally) unhelpful phone person did disappoint me but I can't complain with the responses here. Great help and friendly people, thanks!

Anyway, after pontificating (whining) and enjoying writing my manifesto this morning, guess what I just received? A "Lenovo Shipment Confirmation." No tracking number yet, but that's a start! I guess the website was just all confabulated. Logistics are definitely an issue with the Outlet, but as long as the laptop looks good I'll be happy.

I have decided I will keep the x100e from the Outlet... ($397 shipped decked out is a pretty good price!) Though if anything is wrong with it, I'll be back! And I'll keep your burro!

P.S. Tell Pete thanks!

EDIT: Now I am "Fanfold Paper." Nice! Dot Matrix baby! If you're old school, you can hear the sound in your head... right.... now.... (Anybody remember the sound proof boxes you could buy to buy printers in? )

P.P.S. I have to plug Good Old Games since we're talking about old games. Great site with legal cheap DRM free old school games! (I have no affliation with them.) I just bought Space Quest & King's Quest! They're going on the x100e... Maybe I'll actually beat the last couple King's Quests!